Manoomin (Wild Rice)

Translated from Ojibwemowin, manoomin means the “good berry,” and it is a food that has long provided both physical and spiritual sustenance to the Ojibwe people. Some teachings relate that the Ojibwe people migrated from the East having been told to settle when they find the food that grows upon the water, which they discovered in the waters of the Lake Superior region.
Highly nutritious, manoomin remains important to the Ojibwe diet today and is also one of several feast foods, traditionally served during ceremonies or community feasts.
Because of its significance to its member tribes, GLIFWC focuses on the preservation and enhancement of manoomin in ceded territory lakes. Annual surveys are performed on existing beds to determine density and overall health of bed. Select lakes are also reseeded for the purpose of enhancement or re-establishing old beds. Recently, GLIFWC completed a comprehensive wild rice lake inventory in the ceded territories with documentation necessary to develop and launch a comprehensive wild rice management plan.